Published :
Updated :
For all latest news, follow The Financial Express Google News channel.
Towering historical characters are subject to critical analyses for their deeds and contributions. Nevertheless, an objective characterisation of a particular historical figure could be manipulated by political parties and religious groups to serve their narrow interests. From attracting electoral votes to consolidate powers, political leaders often stoop low with the ulterior motive of character assassination or a distorted portrayal of historical character or an event. They exploit the public sentiment and ignite anger against any such charter or event, mostly in the name of religion and tradition. As both character and the event are things of the past, misinformation can easily get currency courtesy of salacious campaigns. The alternative is to attack someone else who is present now, to attack symbols and infrastructures left by them. The latest example is Hindutva groups' demand to remove the tomb of Aurungzeb, the sixth Mughal Empire, in India.
For the last couple of weeks, Indian state Maharashtra has witnessed a series of protests and angers by Hindu extremists against the Mughal ruler who died three centuries ago. Immediately, and intentionally, the protest also turned into a communal hatred against the Indian Muslims. At one stage, violence erupted in Nagpur, a city of Maharashtra, made things worse particularly for the Muslims who are minorities in India. Though the hatred against Aurungzeb is not a new thing in the country, it has intensified in the last decades due to the BJP-government sponsored persistent hate campaign in various forms. This time, the Hindi movie titled Chhaava has played a catalyst to recharge the hatred.
The historic-fictional movie, based on the life of Maratha ruler Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, presented how Aurungzeb tortured and finally executed Sambhaji which is a historical fact. But, not all the things shown in the movie are historically true; rather many are mere fiction. Nevertheless, Hindu extremists used it as a ruse for their violence. To them, the movie is a historical documentary of brutality of Aurungzeb and by extension all the Muslim rulers in India. So, the tomb of the brutal Muslim ruler must not be situated in Maharashtra, they demanded. The tomb of Aurangzeb is actually located at Khuldabad of former Aurangabad district, which is renamed as Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, in the Indian province Maharashtra. At his own direction Aurangzeb is buried in an unmarked grave which is situated at the complex of the shrine of Sheikh Zainuddin. Though there is a structure that marked the Mughal ruler, it is difficult to confirm. Soon the world may, however, see that Hindu extremists attack the complex where the grave of Aurangzeb is situated and destroy the structure no matter when many Hindus have already raised objections to such a move.
There is no doubt that Aurangzeb is the cruellest among the Mughal rulers and used to follow orthodox path of Islam strictly. He did not spare his brothers for the sake of consolidating his own power. He had extreme religious view. He also used to view non-Muslims especially Hindus as infidels, destroyed many temples and forced many to adopt Islam. At the same time, Aurangzeb's 49-year reign was marked with prosperity when he also sponsored the construction of several Hindu temples and many Hindus served in his court. Some historians, including Audrey Truschke who authored the Aurangzeb: The Man and the Myth, pointed out that a large number of conflicts during the Mughul ruler were political rather than religious. They also argued that it is incorrect to evaluate Aurangzeb in the present context and only on religious ground.
Hindutva ideology, however, prefers to label all the Mughal as well as other Muslim rulers as invaders. To the followers and supporters of the ideology, India under BJP needs to correct all the misdeeds of Muslim rulers. As part of the job, they have targeted various works, structures, monuments and symbols carrying the memories of them. Targeting the tomb of Aurangzeb is a component of bigger agenda directed towards removing and erasing names and signs of Muslims rulers of India. It also fans hatred towards the Muslims.